We're down to 314. So now 58 more teams need to be removed to get us down to the 256 teams, and while I'm very interested in the big games this week with the teams with the top notch records, these are the most important games in regard to field construction:
Lane (4-4) vs. Phillips (7-1): Ordinarily, I wouldn't even mention a team with 32 points at this point at all. But considering Lane could pick up a ton of points this week as they play in the strongest of the CPL Illini Divisions, I won't complete dismiss Lane if they pull off the substantial upset here.
Sandburg (4-4) vs. Bolingbrook (5-3): It's probably a fairly long shot that Sandburg pulls off the upset and they have to have it to get to the five-win plateau, but they will get in if they do. A loss puts Bolingbrook in slight danger as a five-win team.
Marist (4-4) vs. Joliet Catholic (6-2): Marist doesn't have a point problem, but they've got a pretty substantial problem in getting to five wins. If Marist pulls the upset, they actually won't get a terrible seed because of solid playoff points. JCA, also with great points, could still get a home game with just six wins.
Minooka (4-4) vs. Plainfield North (5-3): This one has a lot of layers. Plainfield North is far from secure as a five win team and if Minooka wins this game and Plainfield North keeps its spot at 5-4 this would effect the bubble team in EVERY class.
Dunbar (4-4) vs. King (6-2): Dunbar obviously needs the win. King is good either way, but the game really looks like a coin flip. Dunbar also wouldn't enter the field as an extremely low seed as they will probably end up close to 50 points. The other kicker is this win would shift most of the class bubbles as well.
Deerfield (4-4) vs. Niles North (4-4): Winner in, loser isn't. That simple.
Hubbard (4-4) vs. Harper (6-2): Another one of these CPL playoff games that is very difficult to call. Hubbard needs the win and Harper's OK with the loss, they are still in the field.
Kenwood (4-4) vs. Noble Bulls/Charter (5-3): I heart the Public League. This one's quite the enigma. Noble Bulls has in the last two weeks lost to a 3-5 team and forfeited, but they still hold the upperhand for the second spot in the CPL WIndy City. The first stage is simple, a Bulls win and they are in. If Bulls loses and DuSable beats Washington, then DuSable gets it. If Bulls and DuSable both loses, Noble is the only one that would still have a chance via points, but would have to win a three-way tiebreaker for second place in the division with DuSable, Kenwood and Noble/Bulls. Confused, yeah I get it. But by breaking this down, I discovered Kenwood has no chance of making the playoffs, so we're down to 313.
Springfield (Southeast) (4-4) vs. Decatur (MacArthur) (6-2): A spy told me he doesn't think a MacArthur upset is out of the realm of possibilities. Southeast gets in with a victory and MacArthur's case for a home game disappears with a loss.
Rich Central (4-4) vs. Normal Community (6-2): Not quite ready to bury Rich Central yet, but this game will effectively do it. Big 12 teams haven't done much in nonconference crossovers, so that makes it hard to simply dismiss the Olympians chances of winning out of hand.
Sycamore (4-4) vs. Sterling (6-2): Teams with their playoff lives on the line tend to do impressive things. Hence, I'm not ready to bump Sycamore from the field yet, this is a tough game, but not one I would be stunned if Sycamore pulled out.
Kankakee (4-4) vs. Pontiac (3-5): The Kays points problems have put them from almost a certain lock with five wins, to totally riding the bubble in just two weeks. Kankakee needs to win first (far from a certainity) and then hope for some help from a multitude of sources.
Jacksonville (4-4) vs. Glenwood (5-3): Another Central State Eight game that you can read 100 different ways. Glenwood is OK with a loss, but Jacksonville obviously needs the win.
Neuqua Valley (5-3) vs. Metea Valley (5-3): Metea Valley is almost a virtual lock for its first playoff berth even with a loss. However, a Metea win might make things touchy for Neuqua who has two fewer points at this stage. A loss doesn't count Neuqua out, but probably makes things a little sweaty.
South Elgin (5-3) vs. Waubonsie Valley (7-1): South Elgin needs some point bubble magic to get into the field with a loss. Nearly every move made inside the field on the bubble seems to effect South Elgin either positively or negatively. It's really something. They could end all of it with a win.
Rockford Boylan (5-3) vs. Belvidere (4-4): Belvidere will get in on points if they win and ordinarily I'd dismiss this as extremely improbable. But this isn't quite the Boylan crew were used to. Odds aren't good for Belvidere, but they do exist.
North Lawndale (5-3) vs. Chicago Marshall (5-3): It's relatively simple here. Win, you get to six and you're in. Lose, if you are North Lawndale, you are almost certainly done. Lose, if you are Marshall, and you have a chance of getting in on points, but not a great one.
[/B]
Lane (4-4) vs. Phillips (7-1): Ordinarily, I wouldn't even mention a team with 32 points at this point at all. But considering Lane could pick up a ton of points this week as they play in the strongest of the CPL Illini Divisions, I won't complete dismiss Lane if they pull off the substantial upset here.
Sandburg (4-4) vs. Bolingbrook (5-3): It's probably a fairly long shot that Sandburg pulls off the upset and they have to have it to get to the five-win plateau, but they will get in if they do. A loss puts Bolingbrook in slight danger as a five-win team.
Marist (4-4) vs. Joliet Catholic (6-2): Marist doesn't have a point problem, but they've got a pretty substantial problem in getting to five wins. If Marist pulls the upset, they actually won't get a terrible seed because of solid playoff points. JCA, also with great points, could still get a home game with just six wins.
Minooka (4-4) vs. Plainfield North (5-3): This one has a lot of layers. Plainfield North is far from secure as a five win team and if Minooka wins this game and Plainfield North keeps its spot at 5-4 this would effect the bubble team in EVERY class.
Dunbar (4-4) vs. King (6-2): Dunbar obviously needs the win. King is good either way, but the game really looks like a coin flip. Dunbar also wouldn't enter the field as an extremely low seed as they will probably end up close to 50 points. The other kicker is this win would shift most of the class bubbles as well.
Deerfield (4-4) vs. Niles North (4-4): Winner in, loser isn't. That simple.
Hubbard (4-4) vs. Harper (6-2): Another one of these CPL playoff games that is very difficult to call. Hubbard needs the win and Harper's OK with the loss, they are still in the field.
Kenwood (4-4) vs. Noble Bulls/Charter (5-3): I heart the Public League. This one's quite the enigma. Noble Bulls has in the last two weeks lost to a 3-5 team and forfeited, but they still hold the upperhand for the second spot in the CPL WIndy City. The first stage is simple, a Bulls win and they are in. If Bulls loses and DuSable beats Washington, then DuSable gets it. If Bulls and DuSable both loses, Noble is the only one that would still have a chance via points, but would have to win a three-way tiebreaker for second place in the division with DuSable, Kenwood and Noble/Bulls. Confused, yeah I get it. But by breaking this down, I discovered Kenwood has no chance of making the playoffs, so we're down to 313.
Springfield (Southeast) (4-4) vs. Decatur (MacArthur) (6-2): A spy told me he doesn't think a MacArthur upset is out of the realm of possibilities. Southeast gets in with a victory and MacArthur's case for a home game disappears with a loss.
Rich Central (4-4) vs. Normal Community (6-2): Not quite ready to bury Rich Central yet, but this game will effectively do it. Big 12 teams haven't done much in nonconference crossovers, so that makes it hard to simply dismiss the Olympians chances of winning out of hand.
Sycamore (4-4) vs. Sterling (6-2): Teams with their playoff lives on the line tend to do impressive things. Hence, I'm not ready to bump Sycamore from the field yet, this is a tough game, but not one I would be stunned if Sycamore pulled out.
Kankakee (4-4) vs. Pontiac (3-5): The Kays points problems have put them from almost a certain lock with five wins, to totally riding the bubble in just two weeks. Kankakee needs to win first (far from a certainity) and then hope for some help from a multitude of sources.
Jacksonville (4-4) vs. Glenwood (5-3): Another Central State Eight game that you can read 100 different ways. Glenwood is OK with a loss, but Jacksonville obviously needs the win.
Neuqua Valley (5-3) vs. Metea Valley (5-3): Metea Valley is almost a virtual lock for its first playoff berth even with a loss. However, a Metea win might make things touchy for Neuqua who has two fewer points at this stage. A loss doesn't count Neuqua out, but probably makes things a little sweaty.
South Elgin (5-3) vs. Waubonsie Valley (7-1): South Elgin needs some point bubble magic to get into the field with a loss. Nearly every move made inside the field on the bubble seems to effect South Elgin either positively or negatively. It's really something. They could end all of it with a win.
Rockford Boylan (5-3) vs. Belvidere (4-4): Belvidere will get in on points if they win and ordinarily I'd dismiss this as extremely improbable. But this isn't quite the Boylan crew were used to. Odds aren't good for Belvidere, but they do exist.
North Lawndale (5-3) vs. Chicago Marshall (5-3): It's relatively simple here. Win, you get to six and you're in. Lose, if you are North Lawndale, you are almost certainly done. Lose, if you are Marshall, and you have a chance of getting in on points, but not a great one.
[/B]
